The last time Lonnie Roberts lost a large senior class, he had a group of veterans ready to take control.

This season, the Bluffton High girls basketball coach expects to rely on youth.

“It's somewhat of a rebuild,” Roberts said.

The Bobcats, who won a region title and made the second round of the state tournament behind five key seniors last season, will have only one senior this winter.

Last year's core was somewhat unproven, Roberts said, as an eight-player senior class preceded them before they took over. That group stepped right in and continued the Bobcats' recent success, so he is hoping several juniors and sophomores are prepared to do the same.

“Losing our seniors was a big hit for us,” junior Johnnie Gaston said. “Now that we have one senior, we've got big shoes to fill, but it'll come.”

Gaston will be joined in the front court by sophomore forward Alexis Manuel. Roberts said the team's other top returners are guards: Sophomore Amber Klitzsch and juniors Annadet Giles and Dynasty Mervin.

“There's no one person I see now that is going to be the go-to,” Roberts said. “Right now, we're just going to have to live by defense and how much pressure we can put on the ball.”

Roberts was frustrated over the summer by low attendance at team workouts. But by the time school started, interest was back at the level he has come to expect.

About 30 players attended “open-gym” workouts from 5-6:30 a.m. during September. That development seemed to renew Roberts' confidence as the Bobcats move up into SCHSL Class AAAA.

“I think a lot of our kids made up for (the summer) when we had the open gym in September,” he said. “It was great. They dedicated themselves to being part of the program, so the numbers shot up.”

New region opponents Colleton County and Summerville are coming off excellent seasons. Colleton went 19-4 and reached the Class AAAA quarterfinals, where it lost to state runner-up Orangeburg-Wilkinson. Summerville reached the second round of the state tournament.

Gaston said little will change for the Bobcats as they enter the new region. They had to show they belonged in Class AAA several years ago, so they're ready to do it once more.

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